Story by Lisa Masuku-Kurira
THE government, in partnership with development partners, is moving to implement a medium-term solution to Bulawayo’s perennial water challenges through the construction of the Glass Block Dam in Filabusi, a project first conceptualised in the 1950s.
Engineers are currently conducting assessments at the dam site as the long-awaited project moves from the planning stage towards implementation.
Speaking at the site, Glass Block Dam Consortium Civil Engineer, Michael Peto, said the project will provide significant relief to Bulawayo’s water supply challenges.
“This dam will provide medium-term relief to Bulawayo’s water crisis. It is going to be a major project with a pipeline stretching more than 30 kilometres,” he said.
Valued at approximately US$100 million, the project is a collaboration between government and development partners and is expected to ease pressure on the city’s depleted water sources.
Community members in the area have welcomed the development, expressing hope that the project will improve livelihoods and agricultural productivity.
“We will now be able to practise farming because this is a dry region,” said one villager.
Another community member said the project will improve access to water for livestock.
“At the moment, we rely on dams that are far away, but our cattle will now have reliable access to water,” the villager said.
Residents also expressed optimism that improved water availability would strengthen food security in the area.
“We usually experience poor harvests because of drought, but once this project is complete, we will be able to grow different crops,” another villager said.
Glass Block Dam is expected to supply approximately 68 megalitres of water to Bulawayo daily, positioning it as a key medium-term intervention in addressing the city’s long-standing water shortages.
“The Bulawayo water crisis has persisted for many years. This dam is projected to supply 68 megalitres of water per day to the city,” Glass Block Dam Contractor, James Goddard, said.
The project is being implemented alongside the ongoing Gwayi-Shangani Lake project, which remains the government’s long-term solution to Bulawayo’s water challenges.
Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Albert Mavhunga, said the two projects demonstrate government’s commitment to resolving water shortages in the city.
“This project is a medium-term intervention and does not replace the long-term solution, which is the Gwayi-Shangani project. It reflects government’s continued efforts to address Bulawayo’s water challenges and speaks to the Second Republic’s vision of leaving no place and no one behind,” he said.
The Glass Block Dam project is expected to be completed within the next two years. While it may not immediately resolve Bulawayo’s water challenges, it marks a significant step towards improving water security for the city and surrounding communities.
